Artist expects Halloween hit with Duterte masks

A Filipino artist says his Halloween masks depicting President Rodrigo Duterte will be a big hit with both the supporters and detractors of the outspoken leader. Mana Rabiee reports.

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Filipino artist John Tan thinks his masks of President Rodrigo Duterte will be a big hit this Halloween.
Tan says the masks appeals to both supporters and detractors of the outspoken leader -- whose campaign against drug crime has earned him the nickname "The Punisher".
(SOUNDBITE) (English) ART PROFESSOR, JOHN TAN, SAYING:
"If you're for the President, then you come, then you wear his mask because he's your hero or if you're against him, you'll wear the mask because, you know, you're making a statement."
Duterte's a polarizing figure -- popular among many here for his war on the drug trade...
.... but criticized, too, for some 3,000 deaths attributed to his crackdown including many extra judicial killings.
Some of the masks biggest fans are Tan's own students, like Joaquin Laurel.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) COLLEGE STUDENT, JOAQUIN LAUREL, SAYING:
"People have worn costumes of worse people like Hitler and, you know, Saddam Hussein so I don't think there's anything wrong with wearing Duterte as a mask."
"The Punisher" masks sell for about $15 a pop. And with Halloween fast approaching, Tan is hoping to scare up a Duterte sales bonanza.